Talking sustainability with Bruce Poontip
Nomadic Matt :. How did you begin Gap Adventures?
Bruce Poontip: I started Gap Adventures 190 when I wanted was to travel, and there only cruises, resorts or bus tours. I've put together a few tours and developed a new type of travel that combines the basic experience of backpacking with the convenience of a tour. It was the security of a group, but the independence of backpacking. I started before each get who would listen. Only much later in the mid-0s that the term Ecotourism became popular and it helped us to give a name to what we were doing. Even if we do not identify with the term in full, it was the first time that we were seen as a serious company.
Most tour companies shuffle people between locations and have very planned schedules. Gap Adventures leaves much personal time on their travels. Why is that?
Our motto from the beginning was the safety of the. In a group with the freedom and flexibility of independent travel "Treating customers as individuals was my first concern when I started Gap Adventures. I did not guess second to consumer taste and produce a boring experience at the end try to match everything to everyone in a large group. Because we use the smallest group sizes on the market were starting, it allows us to create something that had previously done before. it was the kind of innovation that really motivated me in the early stages. to say
Gap she likes are an ecological and socially responsible businesses. How does practice Gap sustainable and green tourism?
We do a lot. Apart from our own foundation has Planeterra.org that giving back and creating projects in the areas we are dedicated to travel, we do everything possible to keep our sustainable roots. This means that local jobs and opportunities for people to create, to make our tours possible and the development of programs that a create positive impact in these areas. It is small and manageable to maintain and to create a community with the host countries, which will allow us to do what we do to our groups.
We are about our business is carried out in a way that people and the planet respected. This could mean pay gap for some of our employees transit passes, our offices around the engines powered by wind world with enterprise-wide on our ships four-stroke engines, bleaching agents and chemical-free paper or planting 450,000 trees of our company travel to compensate. It runs deep with us, and we have a lot of projects that aim at the creation of sustainable practices.
To what extent do you feel that many of these ecotourism speech is just greenwashing?
There are a lot of greenwashing, as companies try to meet the consumer demand. At some point you have to trust that travelers more educated and savvy about their choices always, and that real change will come when the demand is generated. There is no question that greenwashing is a problem, but ultimately you have to see in your own business and do what you think is right. There is evidence, for the first time that consumers are willing to pay a premium for a sustainable product, a large sign that it is walking distance change. You must choose how you want to be seen in a changing landscape.
The consumer must ask the right questions. You must find out what companies do and how they contribute to the sustainability and the local economy. You have to find out how companies develop their programs and how they communicate their commitment. With any large enterprise, you should be able to ask someone from receptionist Management, about the company's position on sustainability and what they do. Any company that is truly dedicated to the core of sustainability, to an employee who knows about it.
A lot of the time, you have heard "Tourism is bad because tourists come and ruin places." But I think the real problem is the greed. Countries have to burn a slash and mentality and often do not think about long-term growth. What do you think?
Each country is different and has their individual challenges related to tourism. I find that countries that are more popular with travelers tend to care more about preserving their tourism assets. You are likely to also have a developed infrastructure to manage tourists and have different problems usually to deal with. The hard truth is that tourism can not have no effect; so as to try and reach, that is impossible. Once this is understood, then can happen real change. The target must be on the conservation for future generations. You can that be achieved through better business practices and promote through more sustainable forms of tourism for the future. I am firmly convinced that the benefits of tourism by far outweigh the negative, because if it is done properly, it is economies of some of the poorest countries in the world can turn. Job creation and the benefits of cultural exchange are often underestimated.
What advantages do you think offer travel groups over individual journey?
There is a level of security that comes with group travel. It is easy to underestimate the ease and ability of group travel in areas that would be very hard work typically to explore individually. In a group, you pay for a company's experience that properly examined all the options available and has seen an itinerary of some of the best things together in one country. Traveling as a group is a great use of time, you the chance to be seen, so you all to enjoy in less time, with less effort and fully your vacation. Individual travel has its own advantages, but it is for a certain type of traveler that their adventure will find out in the challenges on their own things. You do not have the language differences mind and the time to do extensive research before it maps your travel. I think both have their advantages, but we are a travel company, we offer people the opportunity to drive, rather than worrying about the logistics to relax and enjoy.
What kind of travel do you do? Take tours or go at it alone?
I do to get a chance on our tours, if I can. I have a young family is temporarily restricted my travel to an extent. I love meeting other like-minded travelers, and there is something magical about a group of strangers from around the world gather together to take on an adventure. It does not take long to bind a group to develop their own personality and meet special memories to create. I've never really traveled alone, since it is not my idea of a holiday! I think that's why I started Gap Adventures.
When looking for tours, what advice would you give travelers in to help them pick out a good tour company?
This is a great question. I think that too many travelers motivated by deals or price and can lead to disaster. I think it is important that travelers to the companies they identify with about the product or the Tour traveling. It is a company concerned and the people who make this company that gives you the greatest satisfaction. Knowing that you invest in a business that shares your values and that you feel you want to be a part of it. It's no different to anything you buy and how you relate to this brand. There are many reasons which should be the same, you identify with brands and companies and your choice of travel companies.
For more information on Bruce can follow him on Twitter at @Brucepoontip. For more information about Gap Adventures, check their website:
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